Abstract

This paper investigates the resilience of Vietnamese social organizations through their roles and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While international literature highlights the crucial contribution of social organizations to public health crises, especially in the post-pandemic recovery phase, scientific analysis of Vietnamese counterpart’s has remained scarce. Drawing on empirical data of the situation of social organizations in Hanoi and Hồ Chí Minh City during and after the COVID-19, this article explores how these organizations participated in pandemic prevention, what internal and external resources they mobilized, and how they evaluated their own impact. By examining organisational characteristics such as type, operational scope, field of activity, human resources, funding sources, and relationships with the state, the paper provides a multi-dimensional view of social organizations’ engagement during the crisis. The analysis identifies key factors influencing the capacity of social organizations to adapt, maintain operations, and respond effectively under extreme pressure. In doing so, it contributes to a deeper understanding of the sector’s flexibility, responsiveness, and evolving role in pandemic governance in Vietnam.